


Withered Roses

by adhdsoras



Series: Weight of the Sky [1]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Body Horror, Character Death, Character Study, F/F, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Paranoia, Pining, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Unresolved Tension, Volume 8 (RWBY), not that much tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-12
Updated: 2020-10-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26974663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/adhdsoras/pseuds/adhdsoras
Summary: Atlas falls, leaving Ruby to search through its remains in hope of finding Penny buried underneath it.
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long, Jaune Arc & Ruby Rose, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Penny Polendina/Ruby Rose, Ruby Rose & Yang Xiao Long
Series: Weight of the Sky [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1984198
Comments: 9
Kudos: 63





	1. Dying Light

Panic seized in her chest, the ground shaking beneath her feet, threatening to crack as the sound of crumbling buildings and shattered glass rang through her ears. Ruby swallowed, turning quickly as debris filled the air, a heavy wind picking up and slamming into her chest, threatening to knock her off her feet. Glass pierced through her cheeks and hands as she winced, shielding her eyes desperately before planting her feet into the pavement. Large rocks crashing into the skyscrapers littered around the outskirts of Mantle, shattering windows and crashing through the concrete of the buildings. Screams filled the air, voices of anxiety rising as Ruby lowered her hands, staring, bewildered at the destruction of the scene before her. Atlas had crashed down to earth, falling down in the exact spot where it had been erected. All of its pristine architecture turned to rubble, bodies of crushed beneath their very homes, the white marble of its walls turned red with the spilling of blood. Total and complete destruction... and Salem hadn’t even made it through the hard light shield. 

_ No one could have survived that fall. Not a single soul. _

Ruby moved before she had a chance to think. 

She sprinted desperately, her eyes grazing over the rubble as she moved, noticing the glimpses of limp arms and the crimson blood that stained the concrete beams that buried them. Her mind went back to Summer Rose, standing on the cliff, her white cloak flowing in the wind as it caught her hair, rain pouring and seeping into her skin, thunder vibrating through her skin. The blood-soaked into Qrow’s hands, the bloodstains imprinted on the bottom of his boots. The remains of her cloak that he clutched to his chest, the dark, scarlet that had bled through the cloth. 

Ruby pressed on, tears rising to the surface of her eyes, threatening to break loose, crashing like waves against a rocky cliff. Her silver eyes flashed, causing her to stumble, a tear springing free, rolling down her cheek - the image of her father crumpled to the floor in grief invading her mind. Her knees threatened to give, her mind tempting her to dig deeper, to relive that horrid night. Ruby persisted against the will of her mind, desperate to shake the thoughts loose from her skin no matter how tight they clung. She took a deep, shaky breath, straightening before stomping through broken glass, burying the thoughts and images deep in her chest, locking them away. 

She needed to find her. 

She needed to find Penny. 

Voices bounced in and out of earshot, shouts directed to her. She recognized the origin of the voices here and there, Weiss slipping in and out of her train of thought. Mostly she heard Jaune call out to her. The occasional word, the occasional phrase passing in her ears, the pleading ringing against her skull. She remembered that night in the woods, the way Jaune held himself together by a thread, pushing further and further to the brink. The tears staining his cheeks as he slashed through the air with all of his waning strength. Ruby remembered Pyrrha’s voice calling out to him in the void of the night. It echoed in her mind, the flash of orange as her body evaporated mingling with Jaune’s raw voice as he begged her to slow down. 

She swallowed the scream that bubbled in her throat, another set of tears forcing its way down to her jaw. Another flash, another searing pain that slammed against her skull - Pyrrha crumpled to the floor, sobbing silently, desperately, clutching white cloth in her hand. Jaune just to her right, standing beside her, looking on with a storm of concern and emotions that were displaced in Ruby’s mind. The weight of Penny’s sword in her hand, its lightweight, the way that it teetered in her palm as the Nevermore turned to black dust. 

_ I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…  _

Hands grabbed her shoulders as she slumped to the ground, stopping her from collapsing and falling down into the endless pit of rubble just before her. She gasped, her breath hitching in her chest as her fingers dug into Jaune’s waist, desperately tugging him closer by the fabric of clothes. His arms gently wrapped around her back, cradling her head in his hand. 

“We’re gonna get her back, Ruby. We’ll find her…” Jaune whispered, rubbing his hand softly between her shoulder blades. She shuttered, the rawness of his voice mimicking the sound of something tearing, her mind going back to Pyrrha, to Penny as she was ripped apart. Ruby pushed away, stumbling to her feet, wiping at her cheeks. 

“I know,” She forced an awkward laugh, taking a deep breath and exhaling as Jaune stood at her side. He frowned, letting out a deep sigh. He looked exhausted, bags starting to build under his eyes, his shoulders slumping a little as he stood. Days without sleep, the stress of protecting an entire civilization, and now all that hope and effort was gone.  _ Hundreds _ , maybe  _ thousands  _ were dead. They could be standing above the corpse of a child, the mangled body of a future huntsman. There could have been a dozen bodies beneath their feet and they wouldn’t even know it.

_ Life is something worth protecting… _

_ And I have failed... _

Ruby smiled back at him brightly, forcing it onto her lips despite the fear that ragged through bones, desperate to lighten the mood, to see him smile. She saw the grin tugging at the corner of his lips, filling her with relief. A beacon of hope. That’s what Ruby considered herself. She could never forgive herself for breaking now.

His smile faded, his blue eyes meeting her silver irises, “Are you okay?” His voice was quiet, too quiet, almost as if he was afraid to even ask. She faltered for a moment, the simple, minuscule question catching her by surprise. 

Maybe it was at Beacon - the loud, pleasant nights of playing video games while Blake sat in her corner, cozy with a new book she rented from the library. The nights when Weiss would let Yang braid her hair, her knees pressed against the small frame of her chest and her back against the side of the bunk. The cool, gentle days of fall they spent bickering as they played board games on the floor until the curfew came knocking on their door. Maybe she was okay then, with her sister by her side at every turn. Knowing that she had found people to protect, rather than people to protect her. Or maybe it was when she knew, without question, that her mother would come home. The sleepless nights of her youth clinging to the thrill of adventure, festering in her own imagination. Waking up in the morning to the smell of freshly baked cookies, the soft hum of her mother as she sat on the couch, Yang on her left, snuggled against her arm, and her dad on her right, kissing her cheek. 

Maybe she had been okay then, but she hadn’t been okay for most of her life.

A flash of green light flickered in the corner of her vision. A single shot of neon green rose through the air from a mountain of rubble, causing Ruby to turn desperately. She grabbed Jaune’s arm, rushing towards it, her heart pounding in her chest. She screamed, calling out to her, jumping over breaks in the debris, Jaune barely keeping pace before finding themselves in front of a pit. The smell of seared metal filled her lungs as she stopped before toppling over the edge, bits of the crumbled build falling off into the deep cavern. It was almost pitch black at the bottom, the only light provided is the green light of Penny’s evergreen eyes.

Ruby jumped, pulling Jaune down with her without hesitation.

For a moment they were plummeting, fear seizing at her chest as her feet lifted from the unstable ground of the ruins, hanging awkwardly in the air, her hand desperate and tight against Jaune’s wrist, his screams of protests filling her ears. They were weightless, falling through the earth, and then they were rose petals, scattered through the wind in a flash of red and yellow, rushing to the bottom faster than Ruby had ever moved before. She split at exposed cross beams, bouncing back and forth against the walls of debris, the momentary pressure of stability bouncing off the balls of her feet as she ping-ponged down, her grip tight on Jaune’s wrist. Hope pumped through her veins, mixing with adrenaline as her feet hit the bottom of the crater with a thud, Jaune slamming against her body, causing the pair to stumble, almost toppling over. 

_ Penny. _

She let her hand drop from his wrist, her eyes adjusting to the dark for a moment, taking in the scene.

The ground was littered with mechanical parts. Chunks of metal paneling scattered across the ground, shining in its silver hues as the sky turned a dark, violent blue. Pieces of synthetic skin clung to tattered limbs, while others were bent and twisted out of place. Bile rose in her throat as she saw the small pool of blood at the bottom of the pit, glistening in its crimson glory.

Two broken bodies laid on the ground. One was Penny’s - her right leg detached from the knee, the left leg having a hole blown through her thigh. Skin ripped from her cheek, exposing the wiring of her jaw and mouth. A chunk of her left side was gone, torn completely from her body, another hole placed right above her wrist, her left arm was torn off just above her elbow

The same arm as Yang’s, the same injury in almost the exact same spot.

Her bloodied, unconscious body replaced Penny for a moment. 

Her head started spinning as she looks towards the man who laid unmoving next to her 

Ironwood, torn limb for limb, save the left leg, one of the last human parts of his body next to the left half of his chest and the majority of his head and neck. Blood dripped and pooled from a cut in his forehead, the trail bleeding down his eye, falling at his cheek. 

Between them was the relic of creation and a hand mirror, surrounded by shattered glass. 

Jaune walked towards Ironwood carefully as Ruby stood and watched, anxiety bubbling in her chest, desperately trying to wrap her head around the scene before her, trying to blink the image of Yang out of her mind. 

She tiptoed around the shards of metal, picking up some of Penny’s limbs as she passed. 

“He’s breathing fine. Should I heal him?”

“Yes, you should. You should always help those in need, even those who have hurt you,” Penny spoke lightly, turning her head in Ruby’s direction, smiling a little at the sight of her. Ruby laughed, kneeling at her side, gently placing her limbs at her side before pulling Penny into her arms. Penny laughed with her, her uncut cheek warm against Ruby’s skin as she pressed her face against it. The warmth spread through her, budding in her chest, flooding her with unadulterated relief. She pulled away, cupping Penny’s face with one hand. Tears blurred her vision before she quickly wiped them away with the palm of her hand. 

“Penny… What happened?’

Her smile faltered as she spoke, “I went to get the relic, but General Ironwood was there... I tried my best to not talk to him, afraid that I would hiccup and give it all away, so I mostly nodded and told him that I needed to obtain the relic. I informed him that I had become the Winter Maiden in Winter’s place… He believed me up until that point,” Penny laughed a little, turning her head in Ironwood’s direction. Jaune’s aura mingled with his, the room turning a bright white as it enveloped his unconscious form. She sighed, her emerald green eyes meeting Ruby’s once more, glowing softly against the dark shade of the rest of the pit, “I was able to attain the relic from the vault, but he attacked me. We fought for a while, he shot me twice. I cut off his right arm. He shot me again, cutting off the nerves in my leg and slammed me against the wall. I could barely stand…”

Ruby grabbed her hand as she spoke, allowing Penny’s head to rest against her lap, “He used the relic of creation… He asked it to create something to defeat Salem. The spirit made him that mirror… Ironwood couldn’t see his reflection-”

The light flickered in and out of Penny’s eyes for a moment, the soft mechanical murmuring that vibrated through her halting. A small scream escaped from Ruby’s chest, a simple shriek, a simple, piercing sound. Ruby couldn’t stop herself from clutching her hand tighter, hyperventilating, terror gripping at her lungs. Jaune snapped his eyes away from Ironwood, his aura dying out, leaving them lost to the darkness. 

“Penny!” Ruby called out, watching the light reappear in her eyes, her pupils dilating back to their normal size.

“I’m okay!” A hiccup escaped from her chest. 

_ No, no, no! Not again! _

Tears sprung to her eyes as she gently placed Penny’s form on the ground. She unclasped her cloak, taking a shaky breath as she handed it to Jaune.

“We have to get out of here; put all the parts you can in there and tie it up in a bag. I’ll- I’ll use my semblance to get us out!” Ruby hurriedly bent down to the pile of limbs that were next to her, gingerly placing them at the bottom of the cloak, quickly picking up spares and scraps with shaky hands. 

Every time she turned to look at Penny, she saw the bright glow in her eyes progressively dim. With each glance she started moving faster. She desperately tried not to think, tried to push down the familiar sensation. Ruby could barely breathe, the oxygen escaping from her lungs as she tried to swallow her despair. Jaune put a calm hand on her back, motioning her over to her cape, bringing her back to reality for a moment. She folded the cloth on top of itself, wrapping up the contents inside like a makeshift bag. A steadying breath filled her lungs, her eyes shut tightly as Ruby forced herself to listen to the cool, gentle wind of the Atlas night, focusing on the sound it made as it whipped past her ears. She focused on the way that the air passed softly through her lungs and out her mouth, turning to mist as she breathed out. 

Regaining her composure, she picked the bag up, sparing Penny a long, lingering glance. Penny stared back, her eyes piercing the darkness, glimmering, almost, in the low light of the stars.

“Ruby, you can’t do this,” Her voice was soft, her eyes pleading as she spoke. It made Ruby’s chest ache, her heart bumping against her ribs at the tone, “I can get us all up there if I use my maiden powers-”

“No!” Ruby yelped, pulling the cape close to her chest, averting her eyes from Penny’s limp body, looking up towards Jaune, “Y- you can’t! You can’t waste your energy like that, you can’t die on me! I won’t let you-”

“Ruby…” Jaune’s voice broke through to her. He placed a firm, comforting hand on her shoulder, just as he did before. She shrugged it off, feeling a tug in her chest as she broke contact. __

_ Why did I do that? _

Regret settled in her stomach as she felt their eyes cling to her body, evergreen and ocean blue eyes piercing through her chest. She felt the phantom of their judgment, their anger burning through her. It felt like the way that Yang had looked at her with her violent red eyes, the way that it seared into her skin and boiled her alive. That’s how she imagined they were looking at her, with burning hot anger that could rip through flesh like a flame in a forest during the smoldering heat of summer. 

Rejection could be a terrifying thing.

They stared at her with love and concern, with sympathy and compassion. 

She did not see the way they looked at her.

_ Rejection could be a terrifying thing. _

“I’ll be okay using my maiden powers. Magic and aura are mutually exclusive terms, I can use them without restraint, no matter my condition.”

Ruby waited for it, the hiccup to come spilling out of Penny’s mouth. She waited to hear the sound echoing against the metal framework and bounce through her skull like a bullet, vibrating through her very being. 

The hiccup never came, and slowly, gently, Ruby was weightless again. She was sitting on a cold, gentle, midnight breeze and it lifted her higher up into the night sky. Peacefully, tenderly so. Relief, complete and utter relief, washed over her for the second time that night, allowing her to breathe freely, letting the Atlas air fill her nose and wash away the paranoia that had built itself in her chest, infesting her heart. 

She watched Penny closely, watching the fire burn in her eyes, the smile playing on her lips, the metal framework of cheek molding to her smiles shape. Ruby laughed a little, almost forgetting the way the light had died in her eyes only minutes ago, how the light could flicker again at any moment. She almost forgot that Penny could die, that the wind that she had created with her own fruition could fade away like mist in the fine afternoon. If Penny died, they would die with her, impaled by a singed spike of metal or their brains spilled on the stoney bottom of the crater, their bodies left to rot in the fall of Atlas, taking the relic down with them.

For a split second, she forgot that the weight of the world was on her shoulders.

The weight returned and she swallowed it whole.

The next thing she knew her boots were on the ground, searching for stability amongst the ruins. She watched as Penny kept to the air, floating, falling apart at the seams. Her wires bared and exposed. The green flames burning bright against her cheeks as the shadow of the night fell upon her silhouette. Ruby felt shame settle in her stomach as she thought about how beautiful Penny was, even when she was hanging on by a thread. 

“Hold out your arms,” Penny spoke pleasantly, her voice barely above a whisper. Ruby did as she requested, placing the makeshift bag created from her cloak on the stable bit of ground beside her, watching as Penny twisted her body midair, forcing herself to lay on her back. Slowly, delicately, she lowered herself into Ruby’s arms. Heat rushed through Ruby’s cheek, her heart bumping expectantly in her chest. An ache rushed through her as she felt the warmth of Penny’s leg on her arm, the same sensation replicating itself as she felt Penny lean her head against her biceps. 

The ache planted itself there, tenderly so as the fire left her eyes and all that was left was the low, mechanical hum that vibrated through Ruby’s arm and the glow of Penny’s green eyes.

Jaune worked quickly to scoop up the bag, carrying Ironwood over his shoulder. His stance gave way that it was a difficult feat, but with no arm to wrap around his shoulder and a bag of metallic limbs to carry, there was no other option left. Jaune slipped the shattered mirror in one of the side pockets on his belt, taking the relic of creation and laying it diagonally across Penny’s chest, folding her limp arm over it, wrapping her fingers around the staff as an extra precaution. 

They started their journey back to Mantle, barely in view of the city's edge, their travels being lit by the fires of the city as they walked, the only light for miles other than the stars.

Ruby took extra precautions as she walked, making sure to keep pace with Jaune, watching out for pitfalls, ensuring the safest route. Penny giggled at the effort, nestling her head further into the crook of Ruby’s arm, sending another shot of heat to her cheeks. Ruby laughed nervously in return, avoiding her eyes for a moment. Temptation rushed in, forcing her to look down at the girl in her arms only to see the light flicker out of her eyes, her pupils dilating. The rhythmic hum dying out. Panic settled into Ruby’s chest, causing her arms to shake. She didn’t dare to speak, to move, to breathe. Air stopped flowing in her chest as she watched the broken girl in her arms. Time passed and the ache that buried itself in her chest died.

The light returned and Ruby could breathe again, desperation clinging at her heart. 

“We have to hurry! Jaune, have you tried the comms-”

“Mantle doesn’t have its own comms,” Penny spoke weakly, turning her eyes towards the sky, “General Ironwood is too confident - he thought that Atlas was indestructible. He only had a communication tower built in Atlas because he thought that in case of an attack, Mantle would not be the one left standing. He is arrogant… Ignorant, even…”

Jaune sighed, his eyebrows furrowed, his voice spilling over with panic, “You have to go! Use your semblance to get to the city, I’m just slowing you down… Ruby, you have to go!”

“I’m not leaving you! Not again… not after everything we’ve been through, everything you’ve been through! I… I know how terrified you are right now, with Ren and Nora looking for Oscar in Mantle… I know how scared you are to be alone! I can’t - I can’t leave you alone, not now, especially not now…”

“Ruby, you have to or she’ll die!”

Subconsciously, she pulled Penny closer to her chest, acting almost in a defensive manner, chewing on her bottom lip, avoiding eye contact. She felt Penny shift, burying her forehead into the crook of her arm. She shook her head softly.  _ Don’t leave him _ , her silent words vibrated through Ruby’s body, knowing the pleading look in her eyes, draining the strength from her knees, threatening to push her over the edge, _ I’m too far gone _ . 

The emerald light of her eyes was dimming, the mechanical buzz hitching and pausing. Tears streamed down Ruby’s cheeks, dripping down her nose as she turned to press her forehead down against Penny’s temple. A sob escaped from her lips, a childish sound pressing through her mouth as she struggled to compose herself, her lungs battering against her ribcage.

“Thank you… for being my friend…” Penny spoke gently, her breath hot and soft against Ruby’s lips, the air lingering on her cheek. Her teardrops fell upon Penny’s freckled nose, sinking into her skin and rolling down her jaw. Ruby collapsed to her knees, pulling her body closer as Jaune stood above them, silently, attentive, shaking as he held Ironwood’s weight. 

“Goodnight, Ruby Rose… I’ll see you in the morning…”

Ruby watched as the last bit of light faded from her eyes, the soft mechanical sound of her heart no longer humming through her arms and chest. The chill of Atlas enveloped her body, quickly turning cold to the touch.

A scream ripped through her, visceral and agonizing. Her eyes flashed, her sight turning a blinding white.

_ A pair of hands. The flesh of ripped palms, silver patches of metal exposed beneath it. The warmth as another pair of hands grasped them by the finger tips, rolling them back against the palm. The softness of her skin despite the tear underneath it.  _

That was what Ruby remembered - the first time they had held hands. The time that Ruby told Penny that she was real despite the metal that replaced her bones, the wires that replaced her bloodstream. 

Ruby mourned despite knowing she could get her back, despite knowing that this was simply a lull in her life, that death didn’t truly apply to the situation.

Paranoia grasped at her heart as her vision cleared, the thought drumming against her skull -  _ what if this time she won’t come back? _

Shouting filled her ears, though she couldn’t bring herself to look away. She couldn’t stop the flood of tears as they stained her cheeks. There was no stopping the way her shoulders trembled and her mind was only consumed with the thought of her. 

Arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her up from the ground.

Her eyes were torn away from Penny’s corpse, her eyes brought up to see Weiss with her Queen Lancer, its translucent wings flapping expectantly in the air, shining in the night air. She saw the tears dripping down her face, the hand that covered her mouth as she sobbed. Ruby watched as Blake guided her to the summon, the sadness in her eyes, observing the tears that weren’t present in her eyes. She saw the same characteristic in Jaune, the lack of tears but the obvious trembling, the way that he refused to look at her.

Yang was there, too, lifting Ironwood’s unconscious body, her features cold, distant. Ruby met her lilac eyes and saw the remorse, the bitterness. She saw the lump in her throat. She saw the hurt in the way she squared her shoulders, the way that Yang placed her hands at her side.

Her sister was being stoic.

_ Oh... it’s because of the fight, isn’t it? _

_ Oh. _

Ruby’s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, a knot building in her throat.

Blake lifted her up on the summon, Weiss immediately clinging to her side, sobbing heavily into her shoulder as they flew back to the city of Mantle. Penny’s body rested in her arms, her eyes gently pressed closed. Ruby’s own tears dried against her skin. Weiss hugged her deeply, while the others sat in silence, avoiding eye contact.

Yang had only looked at her once.

There was no kiss placed on her temple, no loving hug that was so warm and desired that nothing else in the world mattered. 

Yang wanted nothing to do with her.

Ruby would have wanted the same.


	2. Burst at the Seams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team RWBY & Jaune make their way back to Pietro's pharmacy in hopes of being able to reconstruct Penny. Weiss & Ruby have a conversation before ultimately figuring out what step to take, exactly what it will cost & the crushing realization that things may never be the same.

They stood outside Pietro’s shop, the Queen Lancer fading behind them, its luminescent dust light and airy in the cold, dark night. Bright blue flecks against the smoky orange hues of the flames that encapsulated the city, caught in the wind. Ruby swallowed, looking into the golden lighting of the waiting room as Weiss stood in the doorframe, her broad shoulders squared, the relic of creation held delicately in her hand, the soft pulse of blue light painting her face. Her eyes were bloodshot and puffy as she lingered, the wind picking at her dress and hair. 

Jaune had been the one to take Penny, Blake disappearing indoors alongside him with Ruby’s cape in hand. Yang took Ironwood’s limp body inside. They didn’t say a word.

Cold rushed through her, the aching numbness of grief eating away at her fingertips, the comforting weight of her cloak gone. Weiss looked at her silently, the yellow backlight of the shop making her crystal eyes shimmer.

“I know how much losing her hurt you…” It took a few moments for Weiss to speak, her voice as clear as water, washing over her and sending chills down her spine, “If there’s anything I can do to help-”

“I’m fine, Weiss,” As she spoke, Ruby realized how hollow the words were. She felt the ache of exhaustion settle in her bones, she felt it in the shake of her arms. She pressed a smile on her lips, “I’m okay, I mean it.”

Ruby took a step forward, grazing her hand over Weiss’ shoulder. The wind blew strands of hair in her face, and Ruby watched as Weiss averted her eyes, her frown deepening. Weiss shook her off, walking past the door and further out into the streets of Mantle, screams of horror echoing in the background, eyes locked onto the stars. Ruby’s smile faltered, turning to search the room, watching as Jaune and Blake picked through the scraps of metal they had collected, separating them into two piles. She watched Yang as she strapped Ironwood to a wooden table, aggressively tugging at bonds, the frustration pronounced in her brows. 

Yang’s eyes flashed to hers, staring directly through her. Ruby turned away, looking back to Weiss, the wind loosening her hair, the way she clutched the relic like a child. A snowflake fell from the sky.

“We should get inside, it’s going to snow soon-”

Weiss turned her head, only scarcely meeting Ruby’s eyes before looking back to the night sky, “I never wanted to come back here, after I left… but after being here for a while, I felt nostalgic about it. Winter made it feel like it was mine again… and now it's gone. My home is gone… My family-”

Ruby watched the tears swell in her eyes, falling gracefully with each slow blink. She felt her heartbreak at the sight. More snowflakes fell, slow and eloquent, melting on the pavement of the street. Ruby realized then why she was looking up so persistently - it was like a hole had opened up in the sky, leaving it vacant, alone. The underbelly of Atlas would have shown down at them, its gravity dust shining through the light of the stars, the long chains that kept it in place hanging in the air. It was gone, now, only leaving the cliffside of Solitas in its wake.

“Klein lived in Atlas… I should have seen him, I should have done more-” Weiss’ voice cracked, her back slouched, using the staff to keep her standing, her hands still loose around its handle. Ruby ran to her side, wiping a tear away with her thumb, feeling the scar beneath her fingertips. Weiss pressed her cheek against Ruby’s hand, allowing her to linger there before straightening, snow falling on her lashes., “My father was up there… The bastard… is it wrong that it hurts, knowing that he’s gone?”

“He was your dad, he should have loved you. He doesn’t deserve your compassion, Weiss, he abused you.”

“Then why don’t I hate him like I should?” Weiss laughed bitterly, running a thumb beneath her eye, her nose turned pink from the cold air. She sniffled, crossing her arms over her chest., taking a shaky breath, her shoulder raised. Ruby took the staff from her hand, her knuckles turning white as she gripped it harshly, trying to center herself, to stop her from trembling. She bit back tears of her own, not knowing the exact answer to her question. Weiss shook her head, the shadows of the night casting down upon her frame, the amber light of the flames painting her left cheek in its hues. “My mother was such a mess. She didn’t deserve this, to die this way… Whitley… Winter-”

Weiss sobbed, hugging herself as snow stuck to her clothes, sinking into her cheeks and nose. The cold stung and sunk into Ruby’s skin as she stood there, watching as Weiss fell apart. Her body begged her to move, to hold her close and tell her that it was going to be okay. Her mind told her to kiss her cheek, to wipe away her tears, and promise that they’ll get through it. 

Her heart was numb, cold, forcing her to freeze in place, the only sensation keeping her grounded was the warm pulse of the relic in her hand. 

“Why do you pretend that it’s okay?” Weiss spoke directly to Ruby now, her voice aching and hot, on the verge of turning to a scream. She stepped closer to her, taking Ruby’s hand into her own, “Why do all of you pretend that you’re okay? H- how can you be okay, Ruby? How can anyone be okay after everything we’ve been through?”

“I don’t know…” The words came as a whisper, her mouth feeling dry and coarse as she spoke. 

“My brother never had a chance,” The words were sharp, pristine, cutting through Ruby’s chest like a blade, “There wasn’t a second of his life that was his own, and I _left_ him. _I left him again._ I left Winter to _die_ …” 

“There was nothing you could do-”

“There’s always something you can do! But I’m not like you, or Blake. I don’t have your determination, her persistence... I'm not brave like either of you... I could have saved him, I could have saved her!” She ran a hand through her hair, the braid falling at the top of the head, unfurling into loose waves. Ruby watched as her chest heaved, her fingers digging into her skin, pain painted cleanly on her face. Ruby clawed at her skin feeling the pain coarse through her, trying to get herself to move, to act. Weiss’ eyes were shining, newfound determination ranking through her, the tears still wet on her cheeks as she continued, “You and Yang can’t be like this. It hurts too much… You’re all I have left, Ruby! You’re all I have… the only family I have left...”

Ruby hugged her, finally, holding her tight as tears soaked into her shoulder, Weiss’ sobs vibrating through her chest as she clutched to the fabric of her back. Ruby shushed her, eyes shut gently, the numbness of her fingers running through her nerves, striking her in the heart. Weiss was practically screaming now, her voice thunder in Ruby’s ears as she tried to offer comfort. She had lost everything now. There was no legacy to uphold anymore. Her life was lost to the rubble of Atlas, about to be buried under the weight of freshly fallen snow. 

They stood there for a while, holding each other as the wind changed its course, the snow starting to stick to the asphalt as frost grew on the windows of the surrounding buildings. Weiss slowly found her footing, collecting herself as they embraced. There was a soft knock and the clearing of throats. Weiss pulled away reluctantly, no smile presented on her lips as she straightened, finding her own sense of composure. 

Blake stood in the door, her lips pressed into an awkward smile, “We separated all the parts. I thought you might have wanted this back,” As she spoke she produced Ruby’s cloak from behind her back, folded into a neat little square. Ruby smiled, laughing a little as she approached and took her cape from Blake’s hands, wrapping herself in its warmth. Weiss passed silently, finding her place by Jaune’s side, her hand grazing over his back as she joined him, gaining a small, tired smile in return. Blake put a hand on Ruby’s shoulder, grabbing her attention and stopping her from moving inside, “Whatever you choose to do… I’m with you, Ruby. Know that, okay? I trust you.”

_I trust you._

With a chilling realization, Ruby smiled, moving into the light of the pharmacy, her eyes flickering to where Yang sat on the counter, Maria leaning at her side, a mug balanced gingerly in her hand as she passed it to the blonde.

_I don’t know who to trust anymore._

Another thought crossed her mind as she advanced to Weiss and Jaune, squeezing in between the pair, watching Pietro methodically align the pieces of his broken daughter.

_I need her… I can trust her… I always have._

Pietro looked up, his old, tired eyes meeting hers. The world fell apart around her and for a moment she couldn’t breathe. She left her own body, her arms, and legs numb as she leaned against Jaune’s left shoulder. Ruby watched as Pietro moved to the archway and entered back into the small waiting room of his office. 

Everyone’s eyes turned to her, expectantly, waiting for her to speak. Sweat formed at her forehead, anxiety filling her lungs, “We lost Atlas. We lost the relic of knowledge. We lost Oscar and Qrow…” Her voice cracked, her hands shaking as she held onto the relic like it was a ledge, “We can find them. We have the relic of creation… In someways, we have the upper hand, but we can’t leave without Penny.”

Silence filled the room, Weiss offering a solemn nod. Yang pressed off the counter she was sitting at, cup in hand, approaching Pietro’s side, placing her right hand on his shoulder. She looked at him with gentle, warm eyes, the kind of eyes that she used to give to Ruby when she scraped her knee. The same gaze that she would give before scooping her up into a hug, hoping to stop the tears. Ruby felt her heart burst in her chest at the realization that’s how she would have looked at her when the remainder of team RWBY had found her only moments ago, sobbing into Penny’s corpse. 

_If things were different… If they had simply been the same._

“How much of Penny needs to be restored for her aura to be repaired?” Yang smiled at the old man, her voice low and kind. A pain shot through Ruby’s chest at the notion, the tone cutting deep. 

“Well… The main problem is the damage done to her respiratory system. She was built to mimic a living person, and the shot that she took to her side damaged part of her synthetic lung…” His voice copied Yang’s warm, calm tone. He placed his hand on top of hers, smiling sincerely at her before looking directly at Ruby, “The damage to her lung is small, but over time, it caused her system to malfunction, ultimately shutting down. She doesn’t breathe, exactly - it functions more like a cooling system, but instead of water it recycles air. It shouldn’t take long to repair, but without her legs, I’m afraid that she would be a burden. Reattaching a leg is simple, but rewiring the nerves is a separate issue entirely… but after that, I suppose she would be ready for an aura transfer.”

Yang nodded, rising from her spot on the floor, running a hand down her face, conflict written plainly on her face as she turned and started to pace, slowly, methodically moving back and forth behind the group.

“We need to get into contact with Ren and Nora,” Blake spoke cleanly, her eyes flicking to Yang as she passed.

“We can’t, Atlas had the only local communication tower. We’re completely in the dark,” Jaune said, his words possessing a bitter bite.

“Ironwood’s an idiot,” Blake commented curtly, her eyes grazing over to his body. 

Weiss swallowed, averting her eyes, “He’s prideful, not stupid…”

Blake sighed, “For a man with so much paranoia, he is surprisingly blind.”

“He was trying to do what he thought was right-”

“Can we not do this right now, please?” Jaune interrupted, his voice shaking as he put a hand on Weiss’ shoulder, pain aching in his voice. Ruby shut down, watching the scene before her, watching her family fall apart. She watched as Weiss looked away bitterly, the look of despair in Blake's eyes, the regret that lingered there. 

Tension hung heavy in the air as silence filled the room, the only sound was the persistent movement of Yang’s boots as she paced, lost in her train of thought, almost oblivious to the situation at hand. She ran a hand through her hair, obviously trying to clear her mind, desperate to think. Ruby wanted to know what she was thinking. Yang used to be so easy for her to read, almost like it was second nature, but in this moment all Ruby could process from her stance was confusion, watching her mind work behind her lavender eyes. 

“How long will it take for Penny to be fixed?” Jaune asked quietly, looking pointedly at Pietro.

“A matter of twelve hours at the very least, but the transfer of aura will only take a few minutes.”

Ruby felt a tug in her chest. _Twelve hours… So much could happen in Twelve hours._ It had only taken three hours to disappear, less than that for them to lose contact with Qrow completely. It had been one hour since Ruby left Penny alone in Atlas. It had taken twelve hours for Atlas to fall, and the act itself only took minutes, seconds. It only took a single phrase, a single desire and it all came crashing down.

_Twelve hours was too long._

“I can help,” Ruby spoke for the first time in what felt like hours, her throat hoarse and dry, nerves bubbling in her chest, “I- I built Crescent Rose myself. I can help put Penny back together.”

“Me too,” Yang’s voice echoed through the room, her pacing stopped, “I can help with the repairs. How much time do you think that could shave off?”

Pietro smiled softly, “The rewiring of her nerves could take five hours alone, so with two extra pairs of hands, we could be done in seven, maybe six depending on how smoothly the restoration of her respiratory system goes.”

Ruby felt her heart drop, biting it down, focusing on the positivity, smiling, “That’s great! I mean, half the time shaved off, gives us plenty of time to find Oscar and Qrow, maybe even some transportation!”

Pietro nodded, turning his chair back towards the operation room, rolling towards the operating table before stopping, “I’ll begin with the proceedings right away - come into help whenever you’re ready,” he moved through the arch, pulling at a curtain, closing Penny off completely from view, disappearing into the make-shift room.

Ruby sighed, placing the relic of creation on the counter that Yang had been sitting on. She looked out to the group of people in front of her - the two that looked at her expectantly, the one whose eyes were glued to the floor, and Jaune, who looked at her with compassion as he moved to her side. She put a hand on his shoulder as he joined her, watching tentatively as he removed the shattered mirror from his pocket, placing it at the side of the relic. 

“Before we figure out a game plan, we should tell you how Atlas fell,” Jaune spoke calmly, his voice luring Yang’s gaze up from the ground. Ruby surveyed the group, watching as Weiss’ eyes grew wide, her eyebrows raised, seeing the twitch in Blake’s ears as she ran a hand down Yang’s back, the softness that lingered in Yang’s eyes as she smiled at the dark-haired girl. 

“Ironwood got the relic from Penny. He’s the reason her respiratory system is broken,” Ruby desperately tried to keep her voice steady, taking in a deep breath as she picked up the mirror, “He asked… He asked for something that could destroy Salem. The relic of creation can only create one thing at a time. It- It can only have one creation _exist_ … The relic gave him this mirror. He couldn’t see himself in it… and he’s the reason Atlas fell.”

Ruby swallowed, watching as Weiss tried to contain herself. She had lost so much, but she needed to know. Her ice-blue eyes looked over to his unconscious body, her hands shaking violently. She watched the lump form in her throat, the way that her nose flared as she tried to breathe in. Weiss glided across the floor, slowly, elegantly, holding her head up high as she gently took the mirror into her own hand. She stared at it with hollow, wet eyes. Once again, there was silence in the room, an aching, brutal silence.

“Why would he do that?” Weiss’ voice shook with anger, her eyes fixated on the mirror, almost enchanted by it, as tears spilled from her eyes and dipped down on the glass, “He must have known so why… Why?”

Her eyes snapped up from the mirror, tears rushing down her cheeks rapidly. Ruby forced herself to look away, the pain rocking through her body. She couldn’t bear seeing Weiss cry again, it had already been too much.

Weiss’ spoke barely above a whisper, “Why can I see myself in the mirror?” 

Yang put a hand on her shoulder, taking the mirror from her hands, placing it back on the table, “We’ll figure out what that means later, okay?”

Ruby watched as Yang took Weiss into her arms. She felt the bitterness rip through her chest, watching the way that Yang gave a small kiss on her temple, the way that she cradled her. Shame built a home in her heart as she felt envy rise in her throat at the touching scene, digging her nails into her hands. It was unnecessary - the tension, the bitterness, fury of it all. Brick by brick it grew, watching as Yang guided Weiss to a corner, wiping away her tears, coaxing her. She caught Blake’s eyes and saw a reflection of her own guilt - a different kind of jealousy with the same kind of shame.

An unnerving quiet filled the room, the only sound breaking it was the mechanical murmurs of equipment.

Blake was the first to speak, “What do we do about Amity?” 

An aching beat of silence passed Ruby’s head swimming, too many thoughts raking in her brain. She looked to Jaune, seeing the same discouragement, her throat going dry at the sight, “I don’t know… We have six hours at least until Penny’s up and running, and we still have the people of Mantle to worry about, plus Tyrian, Cinder and Neo are still out there - too much is up in the air. We’re spread too thin, we can’t do everything at once. Salem won’t stop attacking until she has the relic, so maybe… maybe the best thing to do is just leave...”

Blake offered a solemn nod, “We can’t let her have the relic of creation.”

Jaune sighed, rubbing his index finger and his thumb between the bridge of his nose, “We’ll split Mantle into different sectors. Blake, you can look around in the residential district. Weiss can search through the shopping area and I’ll-”

“You’ll stay,” Weiss spoke cooly, catching Ruby by surprise, watching her walk forward, Yang’s hand in her own, “I’ll take the south and Blake will take the northern half of Mantle. You’ll stay here. To protect them. We’ll find them and bring them back, but you have to stay here.”

Ruby stared in confusion, lost by her words, the way that she spoke them with urgency. She watched the tension grow in Jaune’s jaw, the small shake of his head. 

Weiss dropped Yang’s hand, quickly moving to Jaune’s side and whispering in his ear, pulling him down to her level by his forearm. Ruby felt nerves build in her chest, watching Jaune’s face as she pulled away, her hands still placed firmly on his arm. She watched as he turned to look at Ruby, fear lingering in his eyes. He looked down at Weiss, sighing in defeat, nodding. She gave him a small smile, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist before doing the same to Ruby. Weiss offered her goodbyes to Yang before she took Blake's hand into her own, cupping them for a moment, a small, quiet conversation passing between them. 

Words that Ruby didn't hear. 

Words that she might not have meant to hear either way. 

She chided herself for being nonsensical, persisting against the paranoid thoughts that rang through her mind.

_They're my family, they wouldn't betray me... would they?_

“We’ll meet back here in three hours,” Weiss disappeared through the doorway, the darkness of the Mantle streets spilling in as she stepped out, the harsh wind shutting it closed with a bang. 

Blake lingered for a few moments, offering Jaune some spare consolidation. Ruby occupied herself with Maria, helping her brew some coffee in a makeshift kitchen that she had set up. Yang stood beside her, silently, taking a sip of her own drink. She eyed Ruby, watching her with solemn, lilac eyes.

“We don’t have any sugar, just cream,” Her voice was thick and low, its tone dragged out as she spoke. Ruby swallowed, offering a nervous laugh. Anxiety rose inside her, despising the tension that hung between them. She couldn’t find the right words, her mind stopping her from articulating her feelings, part of her pride stopping her from resolving the tension. It wasn’t her place to apologize, the ball being in Yang’s court.

_It was her decision to hide that Raven was the spring maiden, after all._

“I’ll take what I can get at this point.”

“Sure,” Bitterness soaked into Yang’s words. Ruby simply nodded, watching her as she pushed off the table, traveling to the other side of the room, checking Ironwood’s restraints. Heat radiated off her as she moved, anger pouring out of her violet eyes. Ruby sighed, pouring coffee in two mugs - one for her and the other for Jaune. She filled one cup three-quarters of the way before dumping in cream, filling it to the brim. The other she only added a splash as put it in the center of the table, taking the one she poured for herself in her hand.

The strong smell filled her nose and she felt disgust rise in her stomach. She took a sip, the coffee burning her tongue, the bitterness too stronger. She felt the energy that came with it, pushing past the taste, the smell, taking another sip, feeling its warmth flow through her body. She shivered as it ran down her throat, gagging slightly.

“I’m surprised you even took a sip.”

Blake stood before her, hands behind her back as she giggled a little, “I’m not big into coffee, either. I don’t think I could even finish a cup,” She smiled awkwardly, fiddling with a strand of her hair, her ears flopping down on the top of her head, “At least you and Yang are talking.”

Ruby grimaced, taking another regretful sip from her cup, “If you would call that talking, then sure.”

“I know you’re still mad at her - and you have every right to be, but…” Blake spoke softly, her ears pressed to her head as she trailed off, her arms unlocking from her back. She gestured in front of her, trying to find the right words, “She had her reasons, she explained herself. What she said makes sense, especially for the time. I know it's hard to forgive her, I know exactly how you feel, but you have to try. Besides she- she just lost her mom. _Again_ . You know how that feels better than anyone… Weiss just lost her mom too, her entire family, even... We can’t get out of here in one piece with you two like this, so please… _please_ , try. For everyone's sake.”

Ruby nodded, pain stinging in her gut as the image of Summer bubbling to the surface. She averted her eyes as Blake placed a hand on her shoulder. Summer was Yang’s mom too… Raven was dead, and she has to fight on knowing that she was her final thought, her final regret. Ruby wondered if Summer thought of her, too, or if she thought of Salem and all she didn’t do. Was it regret that haunted her mother? Or did she die with pride full and blooming in her chest, knowing that her daughters would achieve greatness, that they were strong and determined? Perhaps it was fear that clouded her mind, afraid of what Salem would do, afraid of everything that would go wrong without her light in the world. Ruby wanted to know, or maybe she didn’t. Knowing a person's final thought, the person they spent their last breath on was a powerful thing, and if it wasn’t her then maybe it would tear her apart, break her down. It would hurt too much to know. 

_How’s Yang handling that weight? Why can’t I just talk to her again?_

She remembered the nights just after Summer’s death. She slept in her father’s bed, squished between Tai and Yang, enveloped in their warmth. She remembered how Yang cried herself to sleep, how her father held them together with strong, loving arms. She remembered his desperation, how he tossed in his sleep, his refusal to let go, his fear when he woke, the agony of the morning when he realized that Summer was still gone. It took him months to look Qrow in the eye, to have a real conversation with him. 

Yang had gotten up in the middle of the night, and Ruby followed, standing outside the bathroom door, rubbing her tired eyes, clutching her blanket to her chest. She didn’t remember their conversation, but she remembered the sensation, the ease of their words. They talked like it was second nature, with hushed whispers and soft tones. Yang’s encouragement settled in her bones, and she smiled up to her big sister, watching her laugh with teary, lavender eyes. Hope, love lingered in her eyes and Ruby felt something grow inside her. A realization of power, how optimism made others feel, and she didn’t stop smiling.

She smiled at her father, hugging his leg, giggling. He would scoop her up with a big smile, swinging her around the living room, making her feel light and airy. When she smiled, everyone else did too.

Ruby couldn’t bring herself to smile anymore, her eyes downcast to the faded wood of the pharmacy.

“We’re going to be fine. We’ll get out of here - all of us… and please, try to rest. Take care of yourself. Talk to her, she’s still you’re sister, after all.”

Blake's hands fell away, giving Ruby a tight-lipped smile before slinking away. 

Ruby knew better than to believe her words. Nothing would be fine - how can it be, with thousands crushed beneath their own city, betrayed by their own leader?

Her eyes drifted over the curtain, tempted to walk in and start to work, the sensation eating away at her. She stayed still, putting the longing in her chest to rest as she waited for Blake to say her final goodbyes, following Weiss into the abyss of the Atlas night. She waited despite the craving, burning desire to get Penny back, to leave and get to Vacuo, maybe even Vale. She wanted to go home, to Patch, to sit on the porch with a cup of hot chocolate, Zwei in her lap, her father just to her left, how reading glasses balanced on the tip of his nose as he turned page after page of his book. She wanted to bring Penny there in the summer, when Tai’s beloved sunflowers bloomed, and sit under the night stars.

She wanted Yang to look at her again, she wanted to find Qrow and just go _home_.

Blake walked over to Yang, embracing her briefly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. There was a muttering of a few words, the holding of hands. They mostly stared at one another with fond, worried eyes. She saw the lump grow in Yang’s throat, the way that her gaze flickered from Blake’s golden eyes to her soft lips. Ruby watched with an ache in her chest as Blake cupped her cheeks, as Yang put her hands around the other girl's hips. They slowly leaned towards one another, with soft, half-lidded eyes and faint smiled. Their lips connected and Ruby forced herself to look away, heat rising through her body and falling on her cheeks. Her heart started to pound as regret set in, the dreadful realization setting in that she wanted to kiss someone else, that the time, the opportunity had escaped her.

Her eyes went back to the curtain and her heart burst at the seams, devastation overtaking her.

_Oh._

The world crashed on her shoulders, her mind swimming as she looked back to see Blake and Yang pull away, their cheeks flushed, their eyes filled with adoration. Blake smiled, moving towards the door, giving a simple wave before exiting the building, leaving Ruby to spiral in her wake. 

The simple phrase echoed through the room, warm and gentle, “Come back to me, okay?”

_Oh no._


	3. Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaune convinces Ruby to take a much-needed nap.

_ Not now, of all times why did it have to be now? _

Her blood was pumping, rushing in her ears and turning her cheeks pink. Her mind was reeling, her eyes locked onto the light blue curtain. Ruby felt guilt and anguish rise and mingle in her chest. Her throat closed up, making it hard to swallow. She played with her wrist, running her finger along the inseam of her gloves. She wanted to have Penny back more than anything, yearning to see her bright, glowing eyes and feel the soft vibration of her hands in hers. It was devastating - the ache, the unadulterated longing that struck through her, the way it mixed with her grief, her frustration. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to have her by her side, desperation eating away at her chest. Ruby would take her half-built, she would take her even if she couldn’t defend herself. She would have her torn apart, with missing screws and half fixed limbs - she would have her no matter the terms, or the cost.

Penny gave her something to believe in as the world fell apart.

_ I need her. _

“How should we do this?'' Distance made Yang’s voice feel hollow, her face wiped of all emotion. Ruby swallowed, her attention snapping to her sister. Her tone reminded Ruby of the way the Apathy had affected her - exasperated, lacking any kind of expression. Her eyes didn’t have the same fire or light that had been there moments ago, as if she had been barely holding onto it all this time. Blake left, taking Yang’s warmth, her light with her as she went.

Ruby felt the same way, except she didn’t have anything left to lose.

Blake could die out there, in the snowy Atlas tundra, and there was nothing Yang could do to save her, no way that she could truly know.

_ Why didn’t she go with her? Why would she stay behind? _

_ Because Yang thought it was the right thing to do. _

Ruby cleared her throat, “Take it by the hour maybe? Work in shifts? I-"

"I'll go first," Yang announced, hand already firmly gripping the curtain as she moved behind it. In an instant she was gone, leaving frustration clawing at Ruby’s chest. She let out an aggravated sigh, taking another dishearten sip of coffee before walking over to Jaune. He stood tall, his hand placed on the hilt of his sword, tension ripping through him as his fingers twitched against the handle, tapping incessantly. 

She thought back to the whispers, the way that Weiss gently pulled him by the arm. Her mind ate away at what she could have said to make him stay, what she had planned. She thought about her hushed conversation with Blake, what she could have said to Yang in the corner. Paranoia dug a hole in her mind, planting the seeds, and Weiss gave them water to grow. _ ‘I trust you’, ‘you’re all I have left’, ‘I’m fine’ _ \- those were just words, empty and hollow words.

“So… you and Weiss seem to have gotten close,” Ruby offered an awkward laugh, coming up on his right. Jaune’s eyes flashed to her for a moment, before quickly aligning his focus to the door.

“Yeah… It’s nice to be friends.”

“What did she say to you - to make you stay, I mean.”

Jaune straightened, his grip becoming firm on his hilt, “She was worried about you, mostly. She thought that in a worst-case scenario… I should be here. And I- I agreed with her, it's the smarter move. If anyone’s injured, Weiss has the fastest form of transportation. Plus, with the relic here, we’ll have to deal with Grimm at some point…”

Ruby nodded, feeling relief wash over her, tension loosening from her shoulders, “Ah okay… yeah, that makes sense,” She laughed a little, looking up to Jaune, watching his clenched jaw and his tired, dark blue eyes, “Are you okay?”

“It’s nothing,” She watched a lump form in his throat, “It’s just that the last time I watched over a maiden, it didn’t end too well.”

“Oh,” Ruby winced, recoiling at her own words. She bit her tongue, silence overtaking the room.

“I think about her every day,” Jaune’s voice was solemn, defeated, “Sometimes I remember the dance, how much fun we had. Other times I remember us training on the roof at Beacon, how much effort she put into it. We would even watch the sunset together sometimes… I wish that I only remembered those parts. I think about her without wanting to, she’s always just there in the back of my mind, and sometimes even the good times hurt. I’ve gotten better about it, though, I truly have, even though it’s hard to get up some mornings because I dreamt about her and I-”

His voice cracked, tears brimming at his eyes, “I dream about her all the time, most are nightmares but the good ones hurt the most. There’s this one that I had… We were older, had a little place in Argus all to ourselves. We were just in the kitchen, making dinner together… it was so mundane but it felt so  _ real _ , it felt so  _ good _ . And to wake up knowing that I’ll never get that, it's the most crushing thing in the world… I don’t want you to feel that way, Ruby. You don’t deserve to be hurt like that.”

Ruby ignored her confusion, ignoring the way that his last words stung, “You don’t deserve it either! I- if I had just been a little bit faster-”

“Don’t blame yourself, Ruby… There was nothing that we could have done.”

“I know,” She swallowed, “I’ve realized that, but it doesn’t mean that it still doesn’t hurt.”

Jaune sighed, placing a soft, soothing hand on her shoulder, offering a scarce smile, “You look really tired, you should sleep. I know it's hard, considering everything that’s going on, but you need rest.”

“That’s unfair to you, you need to sleep more than me.”

“I’ll be fine,” Jaune guided her gently over to a chair, plopping her down. Ruby felt exhaustion ache in her bones. It had been almost a day since she last slept, the blur of hours melting together in her mind, the events too overwhelming to process. She curled her legs underneath her, each passing second making her eyes grow heavy. She blinked repeatedly, desperate to stay awake. Jaune wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. She conceited to the warmth, letting the heavy weight of the blanket, her grief, and her exhaustion pull her into the lull of sleep.

Light danced in and out of her eyes, the sun peeking in through the branches of the tree, swaying with the rhythm of the wind. Her back was pressed against the dirt, her head surrounded by a pillow of grass and weeds. The birds sang lightly above her, occasionally peeking out over their perk. Ruby laughed, smiling softly, lifting her hand and watching as the sun filtered through the gaps in her fingers. She stretched, rubbing at her eyes, squirming slightly to return to her comfortable position, picking at the grass that poked her cheeks. 

“What are you doing?” The voice was airy and warm, causing Ruby to perk up at the sound. She propped herself up on her elbows, squinting through the sunlight to see Yang in front of her. She laughed, rolling her eyes as she offered Ruby her hand. Her hair was pulled back, only a few strands of hair covering her face. Ruby took her hand, smiling brightly at the light that filled her eyes, “Come on, we’re supposed to be celebrating. You can be anti-social for the rest of your life after tonight, okay?”

“I love you,” The words fell out of Ruby’s mouth, her hand tight against Yang’s grip as she pulled her up from the patch of grass. Yang laughed, smiling brightly as she ruffled Ruby’s hair. 

“Love you too, Rubes. Let’s get inside.”

Gratification rattled through her, sending the pound of excitement rush through her heart. They didn’t share those affectionate words often. She laughed loudly, buzzing, adrenaline pumping in her veins. They were back on Patch, the sun loud and vibrant against the sunflowers. They were home. Ruby smiled, enjoying the heat, the only kind that you can feel in late spring when summer starts to roll in but the mornings are still cool and fresh with rain. She ran up the steps, shoving Yang slightly as she went, her feet creaking against the old, wooden paneling, landing steadily on the porch, looking in through the open door.

Music poured out of the house, laughter filling the air as Ruby walked inside. She smiled, looking to the corner to see Nora and Ren chatting happily with Blake. Nora yelled to her as she entered, Ren and Blake offering her a small wave. Yang quickly joined them, her arm looping around Blake’s waist, planting a small kiss on her cheek. Ruby giggled, walking further inside to see Jaune and Weiss on the couch, board games sprawled out on the coffee table in front of them. She gasped, activating her semblance and sprinting towards them, jumping in the gap between them, pulling them into a tight hug by their necks.

“Ruby! Don’t do that!” Weiss gasped, pushing her away, feigned annoyance pronounced in her brow. Jaune laughed, hugging her tight before letting go, allowing Ruby to bounce down in the seat, swinging her legs a little.

“I see you two have been put on game duty, huh?”

“Weiss keeps suggesting Monopoly. I don’t think she wants to be our friend anymore.”

Ruby gasped, dramatically collapsing again Weiss’ shoulder, “No, it can’t be true!”

“It’s the only game I know how to play!”

“I think we should go with Werewolf.”

“I’m a terrible liar, Jaune.”

Ruby laughed, sitting up from Weiss’ shoulder and pushing off from the couch, “Good luck with all that, I’m gonna go chat with my dad. My votes for Werewolf.”

Jaune offered her a high five, and she took it, slamming her hand against his to make a satisfying smack. Her hand stung as she walked to the kitchen, briefly peering around the corner before seeing Tai and Qrow arguing over the stove. She rolled her eyes, pulling them both in a small hug. Qrow ruffled her hair, smiling down with a genuine grin. He looked so happy, so much younger, like all his grief, his self-hatred had melted away. The sight made her stomach twist, filling her with a sense of joy that she had never felt before, the kind of joy that let her breathe. He had never been this happy, none of them had.

Ruby was happy. She was at home. The ache of exhaustion that had solidified itself so deep in her being was gone. She was finally,  _ finally  _ okay.

She felt  _ good _ .

She looked up to her father with his tender, welcoming smile. He rubbed her shoulder, pulling her tighter against his side. She welcomed it, practically burying her face against him, tears pricking at her eyes.

_ I’m home. _

There was a small commotion behind them, drawing Ruby away from her father. She glided across the floor, briefly wiping at her eyes. That’s when she saw her, standing there, with the sun against her back, glowing. 

The world stopped spinning, the music died, and for a moment it was only her. Penny smiled at her, her arms opening wide and Ruby felt her heart pound. She ran to her, laughing, practically jumping into Penny’s arms. They spun around, Ruby’s feet picking off the ground, her face buried in Penny’s neck. She felt weightless, she felt  _ free _ . It was a religious experience, her laughter ringing in her ears, her strong, metal arms wrapped around her back. 

Ruby pulled away slightly, her arms still wrapped around Penny’s upper back, her arms still locked around her waist. They were in Patch anymore, they were back in Atlas, on the ship that they had stolen, just before Penny went to get the relic, just before everything fell apart. Penny spoke, but no sound passed through her lips, and Ruby felt her heart pound, her palms started to sweat.

“Penny, I-” Ruby’s eyes locked with hers, seeing a reflection of her concern. Her heart ached, begging her to move, to lean in just an inch closer, to close the gap, “I can’t lose you.”

_ I can’t lose you.  _

_ Please, don’t leave me too. _

Penny nodded, giving her a small, tight-lipped grin, but before she could pull away Ruby moved her hands to her face, an aching sensation vibrating through her bones. Penny’s eyes widened and Ruby leaned closer, pressing her forehead against hers, her heart thumping in her throat, her mind reeling as she felt Penny’s warm hand against her neck. She shut her eyes, not daring to open them.

Ruby was pulled in by her gravity, desperate to crash her lips against her own.

She woke up to the empty ache of reality.

The door slammed shut, startling her as she woke, her eyes desperately trying to adjust to the light. She saw Jaune, barely holding himself up as he leaned against the wall, his aura shimmering over his body. She ran to his side, throwing off the blanket. She placed her hand on his shoulder, trying to help him stand up, seeing the dried blood on his arm, watching the three giant gashes at his shoulder slowly start to heal. There was another pair on his upper thigh, another slowly healing at his hip. He took shallow breaths, but desperately he was trying to keep himself calm.

“There were so many of them,” His ocean blue eyes filled with panic, the wounds on his shoulders completely healing, the blood stopped seeping from his side, “Yang’s holding the last few off, it’s not much to worry about, though. They got the better of me is all.”

“How long was I asleep?”

“Over three hours I think? I’m not sure, but Pietro doesn’t need any more help. He’s just working on the nerves in her leg, now.”

“What?” Ruby felt her heart sink, her head started to spin. She didn’t help Penny at all, she did nothing for her, “Why didn’t you wake me up?”

Jaune didn’t respond, his aura sinking back into his body, his wounds fully healed. He didn’t meet her eyes, pain lingering behind them.

The door opened and shut quickly, drawing both of their attention to Yang. She sighed, stretching her arms in front of her chest as she entered. 

“Good, you’re awake,” Her voice was surprisingly warm, despite her previously cold nature, though there was still a trace of bitterness in her words, “We need to talk.”


	4. Summer in a Winter's Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ruby & Yang try to make amends... It doesn't go well.

“So… what is it you wanna talk about, exactly?” Ruby offered a small chuckle, her fingers twitching as she tugged against a loose strand of her hair. She swallowed, cautiously meeting Yang’s eyes. A mixture of emotions lingered in there, and despite the discomfort that rose in her chest, Ruby kept her gaze, lifting her head, tilting it upward. She forced herself to seem strong, to seem courageous - the same bravery that Weiss had said that she admired.

“It’s been three hours - Weiss and Blake aren’t back yet, and we have no contact with them.  _ My  _ work is done here.” There was that same bitterness as before. It stung all the same. Ruby didn’t flinch at her inflections, desperately trying to keep her composure. Her dream jumbled itself in her mind, rising to the surface to remind Ruby of Yang’s warm lilac eyes, the way that she said I love you. She felt her heart contract in her chest, causing her to take a deep breath. She swallowed, finally looking to the ground, breaking eye contact.

“Right…” Her voice was too strained, too forced to seem calm.

Yang sighed, “Look, I know things haven’t been good between us, and I know that it’s my fault. I’m sorry, I should have told you about Raven earlier but I- I didn’t trust Oz. I still really don’t. I just didn’t know what he might have suggested we do,” Her words were stiff, frustration pronounced in her brows. A bit of warmth returned to her eyes, but there was still a heavy and thick tension that hung in her pursed lips. Ruby felt her stomach twist at the insinuation, forcing herself to speak.

“You… You really didn’t think that Oz would kill Raven, did you?” Ruby felt herself slink away, almost receding into her cloak.

“He’ll do whatever it takes to defeat Salem, I wouldn’t doubt that.” The cold returned, her gaze turning stoney and intense. Nerves bubbled in Ruby’s stomach, watching the small bridge that had been built between them to close their distance crumble.

“But you know that Oscar would never allow that to happen, that Qrow wouldn’t allow that -”

“Raven wanted Qrow dead, and who’s to say that Oscar- Look, I… I don’t know what this is. I don’t get why we’re talking about this, the point is that I didn’t want her to die.” Yang gripped the bridge of her nose, obviously frustrated. Ruby felt her stomach knot once more, clenching her hand into a fist before quickly releasing it, forcing herself to calm down.

_ We need to move past this, just accept her apology and move on.  _

“I understand where you’re coming from.” Her voice was still too stiff, too restrained.

“Thank you…” Yang smiled - a sincere, small smile, despite Ruby’s tone. The light was back in her eyes and Ruby felt a wave of relief wash over her. She crossed her arms in front of her chest, clearing her throat before she spoke, “I think I should go look for Weiss and Blake.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good move.”

“I also think that I should take the relic with me.”

“You what!?” Fear struck through her chest, causing her heart to ram against her rib cage. Her mind was reeling, her fingers digging into her palm. Paranoia was back, desperately pumping through her veins. Why would Yang want the relic? Why does she  _ need  _ the relic? What did Weiss say to her all those hours ago? 

_ No, she’s my sister, she wouldn’t do that to me.  _

_ She wouldn’t… she can’t- _

Yang ran a hand through her hair, desperate to keep calm, “The pharmacy is too vulnerable, if I take it with me it’ll be harder for the Grimm to track when it’s in the middle of all the chaos-”

“No, the relic stays here!” She practically screamed the words. The aching weight of tension filled the room - it was almost tangible, the way that pressed further and further against Ruby’s lungs, making it harder to breathe. Yang took a step closer and Ruby could feel the heat come off her, the way that she added humidity to the air, turning it thick and heavy. 

“Can I  _ please  _ finish explaining myself before you snap at me?”

“The relic isn’t going anywhere-”

“God! Can’t you just hear me out?! If the relic stays, you’ll be overrun! Jaune’s used a shit load of his aura with little recovery time, you’re both exhausted and Penny is practically a pile of scraps! I’m trying to protect you!” She moved back, pressing a hand to her forehead. Ruby reached out slightly, desperate to put a hand on Yang’s shoulder, before retracting her arm against her chest. She clutched her wrist, shame mixed with envy festering inside her.

“Just like you were trying to protect Raven?”

“Yeah, she was my mom.”

_ Stay calm… it’s just Yang… just calm down. _

Ruby sighed, “Look, I just don’t think it’s a good idea. We can’t spread our resources out any more than we already have. I’m sorry, Yang, but we can’t risk this.”

Yang was determined at this point, her lavender eyes pleading, “But it’s not a risk! I’m a maiden, I have one of the highest aura levels out of anyone on our team. I won’t stop moving, I won’t let anyone get the better of me… Ruby, you have to trust me.”

The bitter ache of silence made her want to scream, to bang her head against the wall and breakdown. It was the aching pain of realization, the way that the words presented themselves so clearly in her mind, the way that they begged and pleaded on her tongue, desperately trying to be spoken.  _ I trust you _ \- three simple words. Three words that Ruby could have made hollow, three words that could end this entire discussion, that could push Yang off the idea completely. The words didn’t form in her throat, they didn’t press their way through her lips.

_ I don’t trust you anymore... _

There had only been a few moments as painful as that realization. It was watching Qrow slowly die of poisoning, hopeless, helpless - it was fighting Mercury at Beacon, knowing she could never make it to save Penny in time. Running up the side of the tower, reaching the top, watching Pyrrha evaporate, turned to amber dust. Knowing that her mom would never come home again. Tears formed in her eyes, the bitter taste of coffee rising in the back of her throat.

Losing faith in her sister hurt more than anything she had ever felt.

“You’re kidding…” Yang started shaking, her eyes turning a bright, burning red as she stepped closer to Ruby, heat ripping off her body as she approached. Tears dripped down Ruby’s cheeks, betrayal aching in her chest. Yang had never looked at her like that before, with so much fury, with so much violent intent. “Don’t you get it? I practically raised you! I’m more of a mother to you than Summer ever was and this is how-”

“You don’t get to talk about her like that!” Ruby shouted back, bravely sticking up her chin, fists formed at her side as she looked up into the violent crimson of Yang’s eyes - eyes that were red like roses, the same shade of her mother’s blood. Ruby felt her anger boil, hot against her fingertips. Yang loomed over her, the heat of the room rising, casting a shadow down against Ruby’s head.

“Why not!? She was my mom too! Or did you forget? I remember more about her than you ever will! I knew her more than you -”

“Stop it! You don’t get it!”

“That’s not my fault! Sorry for not recognizing the fact that you bottle up all your negative emotions earlier!” Neither backed down, fury igniting a match in the room. Ruby felt her heart rip in half, felt the tinge of heartbreak as she saw strands of Yang's hair glow gold, causing the shadow on her face to increase. Yang offered a bitter bark of laughter, stepping back and running a hand through her hair, “I wouldn’t know how you feel about anything because you don’t talk about shit!”

Ruby spoke with desperation, “Look, I- I didn’t mean that! But I’m your leader, Yang, and -” 

“No, Ruby, you’re my sister…”

“Orders are orders.”

“Why can’t you just let me take the relic?  _ I trust you! _ ”

_ “Well, maybe I don’t trust you anymore.” _

“You did not just  _ fucking  _ say that!” Yang shouted, her hair turning into wild, golden flamed, fire erupting from her red iris. Tears spilled down her cheeks, her arms shaking at her side. She took long strides as Ruby took short, staggered steps back, her heart pounding in her chest as she was almost pressed against the wall. She met her scarlet eyes - she saw the anger, the agony, the betrayal. Ruby could barely breathe, the heat rushing over her, causing her to sweat as Yang walked closer and closer, flames sparking at her hands, fire spilling out of her mouth, the flame growing with each shaky breath she exhaled. Yang’s voice cracked as she spoke, “You didn’t just say that!”

Jaune stood in between them, obscuring Yang from view almost completely, only seeing a few strands of flames cast shadows over his head. Ruby covered her mouth with her hand, tears rolling down her fingertips, air clinging to her lungs as she tried to breathe. Jaune kept his back to her, staring Yang in the eyes a moment before speaking.

“Yang, you should go,” His voice was cool, calm, but it ached. It was raw, coaxing his obvious distress that was pronounced by the tension in his shoulders. Ruby felt her knees give under her, causing her to slide down the wall she was pressed against. Her eyes flashed and searing pain banged against her skull. She sobbed silently into her hand, burying her head against her right knee, the other pressed against the cool wooden floor. Jaune sighed, “Ruby, I… I think Yang should take the relic… It’s the smartest move… and I- I trust her...”

Ruby didn’t say anything, letting her hand drop from her mouth, her heart breaking in her chest. It was like a dagger was buried into the center of her chest, and the longer she sat there the further it carved down her body, the more the blade twisted. She looked up at him, drowning in his ocean blue eyes, seeing her grief reflected in his own. She was hyperventilating now, gasping for air, pain coursing through her trembling body. Ruby simply shook her head.

“Do you trust me?” Jaune’s voice was quiet, fearful. 

“I- I don’t know…” More tears dripped down her cheek, sticking to her jaw before running down her neck.

_ I don’t know. _

“Okay…” Jaune gave her a small smile, his eyes bloodshot, his voice breaking. There was another flash of light, quickly gone, causing her to cry out with pain, although there was no headache to accompany it. Jaune sank to the floor beside her, resting his head against her shoulder, allowing Ruby to scream against his chest, “Take the relic and go, Yang.”

Ruby wiggled out from Jaune’s embrace, watching with teary eyes and blurry vision as Yang stood in the doorway, relic strapped to her back, a look of pure anguish written on her face. In a second she was gone.

Ruby crashed against Jaune, sobbing profoundly, her cries echoing off his armor and vibrating through her. The years of repressed emotions rose to the surface, spilling out and crashing. She shook violently, her throat raw from screaming, her lungs barely functioning as she thrashed against him, his arms steady around her waist. 

_ Why did I do that? What’s wrong with me? _

She was too young, she was so,  _ so  _ young. She wasn’t even eighteen, barely seventeen, with the fate of the world on her shoulders. Born to a destiny given to her by silver eyes. It had always been too much, it had all happened too fast… Most of her childhood had been a blur, the spare memories of her father reading her to sleep at night, Qrow picking her up and swinging her around the living room, Yang slamming her on the couch with shrill laughter. It never felt real enough, the memories always shown in third person, like it was someone else watching her, like they never truly happened. They felt real, despite the doubt that built in her mind - they felt warm. 

She wanted to feel warm again.

She wanted her mom back - that’s what she always wanted. Some things never change.

_ What happened to me? _

_ Penny… Please, I can’t lose you too… _

_ I’m coming, just wait a little longer... It's not morning yet. _


	5. The Mirror

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frustrated by her current situation, Ruby inspects the mysterious mirror created by the relic of creation.

Morning couldn’t come soon enough. It had been six hours since Atlas fell, almost five since the work on Penny had begun. Ruby was stuck in the lull of 3 am, her body begging her to stay awake just a little while longer. She had spent around half an hour trying to get Jaune to sleep, and despite his protests he resigned, sleeping just to her left, curled up in a chair with the same blanket he had offered her before. The rest of the time she spent trying to calm her anxieties, staring at her scroll and watching the aura level of her companions slowly drain, watching the small bits tick up. Occasionally she would get up and pace, having too much built-up energy, thinking about possible next steps - do they nab a ship? Or do they take it down to the docks by foot and sail their way to Vacuo? She decided on a plane, figuring they could fly over the remainder of Solitas instead of banking on a fast escape through water, along with the consideration of boat maintenance, the air was the more convenient option despite the barrage of the giant, flying whale and the beringels that accompanied it. 

She watched Weiss’ aura level drop and her heart sank, desperately tapping at Blake’s icon to expand it, watching it slide forward an inch. She flipped her scroll up in her hand, sliding it back into her glove, securing it barely above her wrist. There was no use in watching, knowing that she couldn’t rush out there into the streets of Mantle and find them without endangering Jaune - without risking Penny’s life. She sighed, leaning into her hands, incessantly bouncing her leg, frustrating ringing through her. 

In the corner of her vision, she saw it - the tiniest sliver of light reflecting off the hand mirror’s surface.

She numbly rose, her legs shaking with each step, the mirror calling for her attention, desperately pulling her in. Ruby swallowed, hesitantly inching across the room, afraid of what the mirror had in store. She took it in her hand, her fingers tapping gently on the handle before she forced herself to look into its shattered glass.

Unlike Ironwood, she saw herself - she saw the red rim around her silver eyes, the bags that had built underneath them. Her bottom lip was bleeding from where she’d chewed it raw. She looked as tired as she felt, half-dead, her brain was rotting inside her skull, each second of endless silence eating away at her spirit, at her pride. There wasn’t anything special about staring into the broken, shattered hand mirror. The glass was dirty, covered in debris from the fall of Atlas, not even offering Ruby a clear reflection. It was useless. A single object destroyed an entire city. Ruby felt anger rise at the back of her throat, her grip harsh against the handle, her knuckles flashing white.

_ Penny died because of this stupid mirror. _

Temptation struck through her, pounding through her bloodstream, begging her to throw the mirror against the wall, to stomp on the already shattered glass and let it break. Just like Penny had been broken, just like Ruby’s trust and hope. She shut her eyes tight, forcing herself to resist the urge. She took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure, though her frustration and fury ran wild. A thick, warm liquid ran down her hand, the sensation sending a shiver through her arm, causing her eyes to shoot open.

Blood slowly trickled down from the mirror, seeping out of its cracks and running down its golden handle. Ruby yelped, quickly dropping it, shaking off the blood off her hand. There was a gasp of breath behind her as the mirror clattered to the floor. She turned around to see Jaune look at her, fear shining in his blue eyes as he threw off the blanket. Sighing, she offered him an apologetic smile as she carefully picked up the mirror, kneeling on the ground as she flipped over its face, only to see the red smear had been washed away, revealing a crystal clear reflection. No pieces flaked from its surface, no new cracks appeared. It was almost pristine, almost perfect despite the five cracks that spiraled out of its center, splitting it into pieces. Too good to be true, an unrealistic condition for something that was broken.

“What happened?” Jaune’s voice was coarse and sincere, his footsteps soft against the wooden flooring. Ruby sighed, slowly rising. She met his eyes and saw the exhaustion still etched in his features despite his rest. She gave him a tightly pressed grin, pursing her lips before she handed him the mirror.

“What do you see?”

Jaune blinked a few times, silently, cautiously grabbing the small rim of the mirror, flipping it in his hands to his calloused hands wrapped around the handle. She watched for his reaction, watching him squint, obviously confused, “I don’t know - it’s really blurry, but I can see myself a bit… What did you see?”

“Not much, it just slipped out of my hands. Sorry to wake you up…”

_ What’s the point of lying anymore? God, what’s wrong with me? _

“It’s fine,” Jaune gave her a small, tired smile, rubbing at his eyes with the back of his hand, “It wasn’t really a good one anyways.”

“Oh… do you wanna talk about it?” Ruby chewed her bottom lip, the subtle tang of metal sinking into her tongue. 

Jaune sighed, his shoulders tensing as he spoke, “It wasn’t… It was mostly about you, actually.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah… I’m just worried about you, is all, and I don’t - I can’t let Beacon happen again. I won’t be able to take it… This has already been so devastating, but I hate watching you do this to yourself.”

“I’m sorry…”

“People always are,” His voice was low and tight, bitterness sinking in mixed with heartbreak. He ran a hand down his face, sniffling. Ruby put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a tight squeeze. He was thinking about Pyrrha - he was always thinking about her.

People leave - by fate or their own fruition - and some leave forever. Others cling like shadows and find a home inside one’s heart to fill the hole that they left. 

Pyrrha was one of those people.

So was Summer, and for Yang, maybe even Raven found a place inside her daughter, a small, shallow spot where Yang was still young and full of golden light that burned so bright she could light up the night sky. The Yang that would carry Ruby inside during a storm. The Yang that still had pigtails and was too short to reach the cabinets in the kitchen, forcing her to climb up onto the kitchen counters to sneak Ruby a cookie before dinner. The part of her that dreamed of finding her mom, that thought that Raven was good, or could have been worse, that small part of her that still had hope. Maybe even Raven was one of those people, one who haunted her daughter gently, with regret, with a small bit of warmth.

_ Penny. _

Penny was that kind of person, too.

“You should go back to sleep, Jaune. You look terrible.”

“I’ll try, Ruby,” He pulled away, placing the mirror in her hand before walking back to the chair and wrapping the blanket around his shoulders, “I know we don’t say this, but… I have a lot of sisters, and I… I think of you as one of them. I love you, Ruby...”

“I- I love you too. Get some rest, okay?”

He gave a simple nod, a fond smile. He sank into the chair, pulling the blanket over his head. Ruby watched tentatively, replicating a loving gaze of her own, her heart slowing in her chest. She let out a sigh, staring down into the mirror once more, the glass clean and shining. She placed it back down onto the table, fishing her scroll out of her glove, quickly turning it on.

Weiss’ aura dropped again, sinking slowly into the yellow. Ruby sighed, swallowing her anxiety and watching Blake’s rise above the halfway point, flipping over to Yang, watching the green bar plummet. Ruby shook her head, slipping her scroll back in its place, sinking to the ground, her back pressed against the cool metal framework of the counter. Her eyes slowly lingered over to the certain, anxiety dying in her chest, its corpse replaced with the deep, unsettling weight of grief. 

Ruby looked at it for a moment, each second causing more temptation to fester within her, making her fingers twitch, her heart race. She sighed, turning away, looking up to the ceiling. The feeling didn’t fade, her heart pleading with her to move, to walk behind the curtain and see her. She didn’t know why, exactly, - she didn’t know what it would do for her… Ruby just wanted to see her.

_ I miss her... _

Rising from the floor, she extended her hand to the curtain hesitantly, before gently pulling it open. Pietro didn’t give her a second look, his hands delicately and diligently working on Penny’s nerves, connecting different colored strands of wires as he worked. Maria sat in a chair in the corner, sipping old coffee and reading a book. Ruby stopped breathing for a moment, her eyes lingering over Penny’s body, her heart aching in her chest. Her leg had been reconnected, cleanly reattached to the socket that it had been ripped from. Her side had been completely fixed, the hole covered up by metal paneling. Her cheek was still cut open, lacking skin. Overwhelmed, regretting the decision, Ruby turned back to the certain, placing her hand on it lightly.

“You can replace her synthetic skin, if you want Ruby,” Pietro’s spoke kindly, his eyes not lifting from the convoluted mess of wires in front of him, “There’s a drawer with a container of it next to the surgical tools. Just take a scalpel and cut overline the pieces. It’s adhesive - molds right into the other pieces of skin real easy, makes it reusable too.”

“Uh, sure! I can do that, ha,” With a nervous laugh, Ruby entered deeper into the room, searching for the drawer, quickly finding the container and scooping up a scalpel. She opened the box cautiously, revealing the folds of fake skin. It was cool to the touch, leaving an undesirable sensation, but it was also soft, pristine. She ran her thumb in circles of one of the sheets, remembering the sensation of Penny’s hand in hers. 

The area on her side was large and jagged, almost reaching the center of Penny’s stomach, the opening between ski built with sharp cut lines, almost as if it had been torn out rather than shot. With a deep breath, Ruby worked methodically, laying the synthetic skin over the gap, carefully cutting an outline over her body. She pressed down lightly with the scalpel, a small bit of disgust rising in her at the feeling, the sensation of cutting into flesh, causing discomfort to rush through her as she continued down the sheet. It didn’t take long to complete, even with Ruby’s slow precision, only taking a few minutes. She ran her hand down Penny’s stomach, securing the skin’s adhesive, allowing it to meld into the previous skin placed there. Her face felt hot as she pressed the skin, running her fingers down the edge of the creases, her mind reeling. The intimacy, the light, tender, touches were too much for her.

Her finger shook a little as she finished securing the skin at Penny’s side, the only thing left to do was repair her cheek. Ruby moved slowly to the head of the operating table, her heart in her throat as she sat before her. She repeated the process, but this time with trembling hands, her face flushed and her heart ringing in her ears. 

The cuts had been made, and removing the excess skin, Ruby held Penny’s head in her hand, caressing her thumb over her cheek. Her heart slowed, the soothing ache of longing burning in its place. She repeated the movement several times, subconsciously rubbing her thumb in soft circles. 

“You know, if Amity had actually gotten set up properly, Penny wanted to call you the second it got set up in the atmosphere… She always talked about you. You make her feel real.”

_ You make her feel real. _

“She is real…” Ruby’s voice stung in the back of her throat, her hand persistently on Penny’s cheek. She looked peaceful, almost, with her eyes shut gently and her mouth open slightly, just the tiniest gap. 

“It’s hard for her to remember that, though,” Pietro came to Ruby’s side, a backpack in his lap, “Everything you need for her is in here - portable charging station, state-of-the-arc pocket knife, the works. I even put in a scroll with all of the details of my works. Penny has her own section, of course. Each major city had an aura transfer system if worst comes to worst. I’m sure you and your sister are more than capable of handling future repairs.”

“Thank you…”

“I’ve seen what war does to people, especially those as young as yourself - don’t lose your light. I had to watch James lose his, I couldn’t bear seeing it happen to you too.”

Ruby flashed a small smile, moving her hand out from Penny’s neck, standing and taking the backpack, “I’ll try.”

“I’m almost done with her nerves. It won’t be much longer.”

“It’s almost sunrise…”

“It is.”

She moved graciously towards the light blue curtain, gently tugging open the curtain and slipping back into the receptions office. Jaune was completely asleep now, his head peeking out from under the blanket, revealing a small tuft of blond hair. She sighed, walking back to the mirror once again, glaring at her reflection. Her eyes moved over to Ironwood’s form, determination ringing to her as she began to walk to his side, casually picking the mirror up in her hand.

_ I won’t be like you… _

The door slammed open, a rush of freezing wind carrying through the room as two people stood in the door frame, their bodies pressed against one another. Instinctively, Ruby reached for Crescent Rose, finger on the trigger, ready to expand it before realizing who was in front of her.

“Ruby… Jaune-” Weiss stood there, breathing heavily. Her hair was disheveled, completely undone from her braid, a tangle of long white hair. She had a hand pressed to her right hip, bright red liquid springing from the cracks in her fingers, running down and staining the fabric. She had more cuts along her arms, a prominent slash on her cheek. Her chest heaved as she looked on with tired, half hooded eyes, tears mixing with the blood smudged on her face. She collapsed against her companion, desperately trying to stay standing despite the loss of blood.

Holding her with panicked, bloodshot ice-blue eyes was her brother, Whitley, with bloodied hands and small scrapes on his elbows and knees.

“I didn’t find them… I couldn’t find them. I’m sorry!” Weiss stumbled forward, crashing into Ruby’s arms, “I’m  _ so  _ sorry…”

_ People always are.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to put this as a part of a series where I explore other characters POV, which yes, means that it'll be a while until Penny actually comes back. The next part in the series focus' on Weiss' view (for obvious reasons).


End file.
